Echoes of Ancient Chu: A Thousand-Year Search

A thousand years ago, his leap into the river gave profound meaning to a festival. As ruler and subject drifted apart, a nation went from prosperity to decline, and he became a victim of treacherous officials vying for power. Was this the tragedy of the times, or was it fate?

She comes from a thousand years in the future. After she repeatedly upends Qu Yuan's understanding of the world, the historical tragedy of him growing old in sorrow and dying for his country plays out once more. What will he choose this time...

Many people believe that Qu Yuan was disliked by others, which led his fellow officials to slander him. Others say he was too old-fashioned, or... But the truth isn't that simple. Chu's government was deeply corrupt. Qu Yuan lived at a turning point, when Chu was changing from a powerful state into a weak one. His reforms, which would have benefited the people and the state, threatened the interests of the royal family and aristocracy. King Huai was misled at home by slanderous courtiers, including Queen Zheng Xiu, Lingyin Zi Jiao, the official Shangguan Jin Shang, and Prince Zi Lan. Abroad, he was deceived by powerful Qin. Zhang Yi broke up the alliance of the six states and joined forces with Chu's slanderous officials to drive a wedge between the king and his ministers. King Huai wavered, repeatedly changing his mind about whether to join the alliance, and angered the other five states. So when Chu was attacked, the other states took advantage of its troubles. The fall of Ying and the move of the capital meant that Chu was all but doomed, with its destruction not far off. This was a devastating blow to a patriot.

This novel seeks to set the record straight about Qu Yuan. Everyone who reads his works and learns about that period of history will understand him differently. I hope my own interpretation, combined with imagination, can offer readers a different picture of Qu Yuan. For that reason, I wouldn't dare call this a historical novel!